Have You Read the Posters at Your Workplace?

Every day I walk past these posters to make coffee and or go to the bathroom and every day I just take them for granted. The posters are required to be up in a common area of every workplace to be read but have you ever really read them? They’re your employee rights and guidelines of the employee and employer relationship.

Did you know, no employer can deny you a job or let you go because of your country of origin? Unless stated in a government contract, employers cannot require you to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or refuse legal documents?

A newer poster we have and assume most if not all employers have put up is one regarding E-Verify. This says from your I-9 form (contained in a hiring packet) the employer will provide the information to the Social Security Administration and has the right to do the same for the Department of Homeland Security to confirm you work authorization.

Sexual harassment, a problem in workplaces, and as defined on the poster it is: Unwelcome sexual advances, suggestive or lewd remarks, requests for sexual favors, and retaliation for making a complaint.

The Maine minimum wage is $7.50 an hour, the Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour (for jobs that aren’t based on tips or agricultural).

Employers cannot discriminate against race, color, sex or national origin, people with disabilities, equal pay is on the books, but from what people say, it doesn’t happen as much as it should.

When it comes to a polygraph aka, lie detector test, private sector employers are prohibited from forcing it on their employees, however, public employees don't have the right to refuse.

Some other interesting information on the posters include; “The Family Leave Act”, OSHA, Worker Compensation, Military uniformed employee rights, Affordable Care Act and child labor laws.

If you haven’t taken the time to read these posters do so, the information may be useful.